New Nose Wheel Fin

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Charles K
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Charles K »

I purchased one and will provide feedback. I have the 2004 with what is called the 'speed' gear. Lower profile pants that cover more of the wheels.
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Hvwaitz
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Hvwaitz »

Looks very nice! Can you ship to Germany?
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Pilot55
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Pilot55 »

yes we can ship to germany. Who would be your best shipper?
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Pilot55 »

I have had a large interest in the new fin and orders keep coming in so I thought I would post my recommendations on setting your aircraft and testing.
1.) remove the two top rear screws from the front pant.
2.) Install the fin using the new screws supplied.
3.)I would remove the rudder trim tab for the initial flight test.
4.)fly early in the morning at a cruise speed.
5.) your plane should fly straight and pick up a few knots.
6.) if your plane is in yaw replace the trim tab and do multiple flights to adjust.
7.) When I was designing the fin I flew may da40 for two years before I posted. In that time flying in cruise I could take my feet off of the rudder
pedals and my plane straight and true.
If you have an issues with the fin let me know.
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Rich
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Rich »

Evaluating speed gain is a tricky exercise. First, you need a solid baseline of true airspeed under a particular set of conditions. Then you need to reasonably repeat those conditions for test flights. You also need a good sense of subtle effects. Keep in mind when you are holding altitude you’re holding pressure altitude, not actual altitude. And minor, undetectable levels of sinking or rising air can easily influence speed by 2-3 knots.

More straightforward is the effect on rudder trim. I simply guessed and straightened the trim tab, changing it from adding right rudder to being, to my eye, neutral. This turned out to be exactly correct, with feet-on-the-floor, ball-in-the-center, in normal cruise range. In addition, all this corrected a behavior wherein the AP would fly level within the ball 1/3 diameter off to the right.
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Pilot55 »

I forgot to mention, the fin is a composite and is white thru out. Because DA changed the white three or four times from mercedes white to bmw etc. you can paint to get an exact paint match.
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Steve
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Steve »

Pilot55 wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:02 am 3.)I would remove the rudder trim tab for the initial flight test.
Not to be a curmudgeon, but...

Aside from the legality of removing the rudder trim tab (altering conformance with the TC of the airplane) without a 337, what about rebalancing of the rudder? You have to rebalance control surfaces after painting, so why wouldn't you have to do this after removing the trim tab? I realize that the trim tab doesn't have much mass, but...

I prefer the method that Rich proposed, simply bending the trim tab to center the ball in cruise flight.

Steve
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Rich »

Steve wrote: Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:13 pm
Pilot55 wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:02 am 3.)I would remove the rudder trim tab for the initial flight test.
Not to be a curmudgeon, but...

Aside from the legality of removing the rudder trim tab (altering conformance with the TC of the airplane) without a 337, what about rebalancing of the rudder? You have to rebalance control surfaces after painting, so why wouldn't you have to do this after removing the trim tab? I realize that the trim tab doesn't have much mass, but...

I prefer the method that Rich proposed, simply bending the trim tab to center the ball in cruise flight.

Steve
Straightening was easily done by pushing on the one side with the heel of my hand while pressing the attachment portion on the other side with the heel of the other. Avoiding stress on the rudder itself.
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Charles K
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Charles K »

It is recommended to remove the tab prior to adjusting it so you don’t damage the rudder.
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Re: New Nose Wheel Fin

Post by Pilot55 »

Steve, read carefully! I said initial flight. If your plane flys true without the trim tab then you can bend the tab flat. If it needs adjustment then you can install the tab the left or right as needed and bend to adjust.
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